Ashish Pande, a doctor at RG Kar Hospital and alleged associate of former principal Sandip Ghosh, has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as part of an ongoing corruption probe linked to a tragic rape-murder case that has shocked the nation. The CBI claims that Pande is a member of the Trinamool Congress and was affiliated with its student wing, although the party has not yet commented on these allegations.
Pande’s arrest marks the fifth in the corruption case. He is expected to be presented in court on Friday. Previously, the CBI arrested Ghosh along with three others: his bodyguard Afsar Ali, and medical equipment suppliers Suman Hazra and Biplab Sinha, in connection with the case.
The investigation revolves around serious allegations of financial misconduct at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, including irregularities in awarding contracts, illegal sale of biomedical waste, and the sale of organs from unidentified bodies for “lucrative prices” outside the hospital.
Pande had previously been identified in a list of 59 individuals at the hospital who received show-cause notices amid inquiries triggered by the rape and murder of a second-year postgraduate student in August. Tensions escalated when Pande was heckled by protesting junior doctors during his appearance before the inquiry committee investigating harassment and intimidation complaints.
Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in the Bengal Assembly, labeled Pande a “strongman of the TMC” and expressed hope that the ongoing interrogation would reveal deeper issues related to the “threat culture” within state-run medical colleges.
The CBI investigation began after the Kolkata Police registered a case based on complaints regarding financial irregularities and mishandling of evidence in the rape-murder investigation. The Calcutta High Court transferred the case to the CBI following these developments.
The tragic incident occurred on August 9, when the trainee doctor was found raped and murdered in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College. The primary suspect, civic volunteer Sanjay Roy, was captured on CCTV during the investigation.
Sources By Agencies
